Lucky Thirteen
by TheMidnightSociety
Summary: Extended/Alternate ending & sequel to "13 Reasons Why".
1. Author's Note

I was going to have this be the ending of "13 Reasons Why" but then I thought it would be better as a sequel/alternate ending because this story is basically one big crackpot theory and it'll complicate the fuck out of the original story. But it's not really an alternate ending; it's kind of more like an extension to the original story seeing as I ended it on a cliffhanger.

As you can tell from my other two stories ("Identity" and "Family Tree"), I'm obsessed with the theory that Hanna has a twin. I always thought it was her who had one so I was mad when Mrs. DiLaurentis was the person revealed to have one in 6x20. I mean Hanna was always the one associated with twins. Ali told her the twin story (which is what this sequel is based upon) in 2x13, Ashley Marin was the only one who saw the ghost of one of those twins in 3x13 (plus the girl was seen in Hanna's room), Hanna was the only one who saw the "twins" in Ravenswood in 4x13, and not to mention all the times where characters mention how similar Ali and Hanna look. It's also been said numerous times how much Ali and Charlotte look alike, but wouldn't that also mean that Hanna and Charlotte look alike too?

Let me just start off by saying that in this story/universe, Charlotte is still "A" but she's not transgender and Mary Drake doesn't exist/isn't her mother (or Spencer's mother for that matter), but Charlotte and Ali are still cousins (I'll explain this later on). She also lied about how old she is and she's actually the same age as the Liars. I only changed this stuff so it would fit into my story better; I'm not transphobic (I'm actually part of the LGBT community).

So to summarize this crackpot theory: Hanna and Charlotte are the twin girls from the story in 2x13. Charlotte was the one to stab Hanna and that's the reason why she (Charlotte) was sent to Radley. Hanna (obviously) didn't die when Charlotte stabbed her but she repressed the memory of it (Charlotte literally stabbed Hanna in the back so Hanna doesn't even know that she has a scar there). Ashley Marin is their mother and she also doesn't remember that incident or that she has another daughter. That is why she saw the "ghost" of Charlotte in 3x13 and why the "ghost" went into Hanna's room. It was Ashley's subconscious telling her that her long-lost daughter was out of Radley and that her other daughter was in danger from her.

Now here's where this really gets wild: Jessica DiLaurentis and Ashley Marin are sisters and Carla Grunwald is their mother. Ashley has always had a suspicious upbringing and she does look similar to Mrs. Grunwald. Plus it would explain Hanna (and Ali's) weird connection to her. Jessica being Ashley's sister would also explain why Jessica got Ashley a job (I think it was in season 5) and why Ashley was so motherly to Ali in 5A (because Ali was her niece and Ali's mother/Ashley's sister was just murdered). Ali and Hanna being cousins/family would also explain why Ali chose Hanna to be in her inner circle. I love Hanna, but let's face it, back in her "Hefty Hanna" days; she wasn't exactly 'popular material'. I always wondered why someone as popular as Ali would choose someone like Hanna to be one of her friends. Deep down, Ali knows Hanna's family and that's why she wanted to keep her around. I know this is a crazy theory but it helps to explain some things like why Ali, Charlotte and Hanna look so similar.

And Tom doesn't remember Charlotte either but he always treated Hanna like shit because he knew he wasn't her father and that's why he really left Ashley (and Hanna). This is also the real reason why he doesn't visit Hanna in Radley after she tried to kill herself (in "13 Reasons Why"). I know this doesn't happen until 6A and this story takes place during 5A, but Tom's the reason why Charlotte gave money (from the Carissimi group) to Hanna for college. Although Charlotte was torturing her sister (as "A") she loved her in her own twisted way and felt bad that Hanna's "dad" wasn't going to pay for her to go to college but rather his step-daughter instead. So I think I'll stay canon (with Charlotte) and have Ted be the father (of both Charlotte AND Hanna). Ted doesn't know he's the father though which is why he couldn't see the "ghost" of Charlotte in 3x13. Ted and Ashley remember hooking up way back when but like I just mentioned, Ted never knew he got Ashley pregnant.

Charlotte's motive for being "A" is that she was mad that she was sent away to (and forgotten about at) Radley and jealous because Hanna got to live a normal life; which is why Hanna seems to get tortured more than the other girls (this is also why Charlotte framed Ashley for the murder of Wilden). But at the same time, Charlotte hated Ali for bullying her sister and the Liars for not doing anything about it so that's why she tortures them too.

I tried to foreshadow all of this throughout "13 Reasons Why". So if you'd like, after reading this sequel, you can go back and re-read the original story to see how everything falls into place. It's like when we learn something big on PLL and have to go back and re-watch previous episodes to see if the clues add up.

This story won't be very long; I don't know how many chapters though. There are just way too many things to keep track of and I don't have the mentality for that. I just wanted to jot this theory down and incorporate into my story somehow. These chapters will essentially be about Hanna finding out who 'A' is and her discovering the truth about her family.

I just hated how brushed over Hanna's whole addiction/identity storyline was in 5A. I honestly don't think her committing suicide during that time was that far of a stretch. I wish they would've dealt with that storyline better. And I really wish they would've given Hanna a twin or had her be related to Ali and Charlotte in the show. But that's what fanfiction is for, I suppose.


	2. A

"Well, Hanna you've completed all of your sessions. How do you feel?" asked Dr. Sullivan.

"Definitely better than when I first got here," was Hanna's response.

Dr. Sullivan chuckled. "I'm glad to hear that. You most certainly have made a lot of progress in the two and a half weeks you've been at Radley."

"I feel that if I can face the 13, well I guess 10 seeing as my dad bailed on me (yet again), Miranda is dead and I have no idea who the hell 'A' is, reasons why I ended up in this place, I can face anyone now."

"That's such a great attitude Hanna. I'm so proud of how far you've come since I've been your therapist. We may've completed all of our sessions together, but know that I'm always here when you need someone to listen," Dr. Sullivan said with a smile.

"Thank you for everything, Dr. Sullivan. If it weren't for you, I'd probably be drowning in my own saliva from all the medication they would've given me."

"Speaking of medication, when you are discharged, your mom is going to have to make sure that you take and swallow all of your pills. I don't want to get a call saying that you overdosed or something," Dr. Sullivan said glumly. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself, Hanna."

"I promise. I won't do anything that stupid again. Life's a gift and I don't plan on wasting it."

Hanna was spending her last night in Radley getting another bed bath. She's had five since she's been here so you'd think she would be used to the awkwardness of them by now but nope. It was her last night at Radley and all she wanted was a good night's sleep. But it didn't look like that was going to happen…

When Eddie came in with the supplies for the bath, Hanna outwardly groaned.

"Can't you just sedate me for this last one? Please?" she nearly begged.

"I shouldn't but if it'll make you feel better and more comfortable, then I will," he said as he went to get a sedative syringe.

Hanna sighed in content.

Within a minute, Eddie was back by Hanna's bedside. But before he could inject the sedative into her bloodstream, Hanna asked: "I know I probably shouldn't be near razors but I'm tired of looking like a werewolf if you know what I mean."

Eddie nodded in understanding as he induced Hanna to sleep.

Hanna woke up about an hour later, completely cleaned and shaved. She felt like she lost 10 pounds just from losing all that unruly hair. It was only when Hanna looked down at her legs that she realized that she wasn't restrained anymore. She could actually move her limbs and her chest for once and she could get out of bed on her own. So that's what she did. She knew her door was locked so she just explored her room, even though there wasn't much to look at. She had her bed (obviously), a wheelie stool, a nightstand, a desk and a tiny little barred window. Hanna walked over to the desk.

 _There isn't anything on it so what's the point of even having it?_

She looked closer at the desk and suddenly she wished that she hadn't. Carved into the desk was a message signed by an all too familiar letter:

 **Hey sis, where's the fun in playing cat and mouse if the mouse is dead? – A**

 _Oh my god. When was 'A' in here? And did they just call me 'sis'? What the hell is that about? Does that mean Kate is 'A'? If that's the case, then she deserved an Oscar for her performance during our session last week. But her being 'A' doesn't make any sense. Why would she be going after my friends? I don't even know why she would be going after me. I didn't do anything to her that is worth her torturing me over. I am just hallucinating? I must be because nothing is making sense right now. I'm going to bed. When I wake up, that message will be gone and I'll have realized that I was indeed hallucinating. It must be a side effect to these drugs they're having me take. Yeah that must be it…_

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yes, this is essentially the same as the last chapter of "13 Reasons Why". I refer to this story ("Lucky Thirteen") as an alternate ending to the original story because I changed the message from 'A'. The text part (the part in** _ **italics**_ **) describing Hanna's thoughts/reaction to said message was also added.**


	3. Dr Sullivan

"Hanna, are you ready to go home?" asked Dr. Sullivan with a smile.

Hanna was barely awake and she was already tired for the day. She suddenly jolted out of bed when she remembered what she saw written on her desk last night. She needed to know if she was hallucinating or not. She ignored Dr. Sullivan's question and ran over to the desk. And sure enough, the message was still there.

Hanna went pale.

 _No. No. That can't be real. I was hallucinating._

"Hanna, what's wrong?" Dr. Sullivan asked worriedly.

"You obviously know that 'A' is back, seeing as you listened to my tapes," Hanna paused. "Well what you don't know is that 'A' did stop by for a visit."

"What are you talking about, Hanna?" Dr. Sullivan asked as she walked over to Hanna.

"Look," Hanna said as she pointed to the writing on the desk.

Dr. Sullivan looked where Hanna was pointing and then turned her attention back at her. "Hanna, are you sure this wasn't here before?"

Hanna shook her head. "It's not Mona, if that's what you're asking."

"I don't think it is Mona. This person referred to you as 'sis' which means it can't be her. Kate's your step-sister, right?"

"She was the first person I thought of when I saw that last night."

"Wait, you saw this last night and didn't tell anyone about it? Hanna, if 'A' was in here, that means they were in here unauthorized."

"I thought I hallucinated seeing it," Hanna answered shyly.

"Hanna… Do you think it could be Kate? I mean she was here at Radley last week. She could've sneaked in here after your session."

"I don't think so. She did seem sincere the other day. Plus I don't think she even knew about 'A' until she listened to the tapes."

"But if it's not Kate, then who else could it be? Is this 'A' person just messing with you or do you have a long lost sister that you never knew about?"

"Wait, when my mom was here the other day, she said something about things being complicated and that I wouldn't understand and 'now's not the right time'. That was when we were talking about Ali. You don't think my mom was implying that Ali is my sister, do you?"

"Hanna, I honestly don't know. I mean it's definitely possible. Didn't Spencer just recently find out that Jason is actually her half-brother? Maybe Ali is your sister somehow and that's really why your mom was being so protective of her."

"But would that mean Ali and I have the same parents or just the same mom? And Ali is/was a bitch but I don't think she's 'A'. This person attacked Ali in her own home. If Ali were 'A', she wouldn't have someone attack her if no one was around to see it. I mean she would want to convince the rest of us that she wasn't 'A'. It's kind of like when Mona sent herself 'A' messages."

"I think you need to have another session with your mom before she takes you home later. Maybe Ali really is your sister and that's the real reason as to why people mistook you for one another. But you won't know anything until you talk to your mom."

"I guess you're right."


	4. Ashley

"Ashley, it's good to see you again," Dr. Sullivan said kindly as she saw Mrs. Marin signing the visitor log.

"It's good to see you too, Dr. Sullivan," said Ashley in return.

"Before you take Hanna home, I would like for her to have another session with you."

"And why is that? Did something happen to her?"

"I'll let Hanna answer that for you. She's waiting for us in my office," Dr. Sullivan said as she started walking with Ashley.

"Did you already fill out the discharge forms, Ashley?" the doctor asked as they were walking.

"Yes, I did."

"Okay. Hopefully after this session, you and Hanna can go home," she said as she went to unlock her office door.

When the two women entered the room, Hanna was already sitting in her usual spot on the loveseat. Except this time, she wasn't in a strait jacket nor was she wearing a hospital gown. Ashley smiled seeing her daughter looking like her old self wearing her own clothes.

"Ashley, why don't you have a seat next to Hanna?"

Ashley did as the doctor asked and took a seat next to her daughter. "Hanna, what is going on? Why are we having another session?"

"Mom, do I have a sister?" Hanna blurted out.

"What? Hanna, you're an only child. The closest thing you have to a sibling is your step-sister Kate. You know this. Where is this coming from?"

Hanna didn't know how to respond so she looked to Dr. Sullivan for help.

"Ashley, I think you and Hanna might be dealing with something called a repressed memory. Basically, repressed memories are hypothesized memories having been unconsciously blocked, due to the memory being associated with a high level of stress or trauma. The theory postulates that even though the individual cannot recall the memory, it may still be affecting them consciously."

"Why would you think that?" asked a confused Ashley.

"Hanna got a message from 'A' referring to her as 'sis' and we know it wasn't from Kate. Plus you indiscreetly told Hanna during our last session together that things with Alison were complicated and that it wasn't the right time for you to explain to her what that meant."

"Honey, when did you get that message from 'A'?" asked Ashley.

"Last night," answered Hanna.

"So you think that Alison is your sister?"

Hanna nodded.

"She's not your sister, Hanna."

"How do you know? Like Dr. Sullivan said, you could have repressed the memory of Ali being your daughter but it's still affecting you subconsciously. And that's the reason why you were so motherly towards her when she stayed with us."

Ashley was at a loss for words. She knew there was a possibility that Dr. Sullivan was right and she was indeed repressing a significant memory.

"We're going to try something, it's called hypnotism. I'm going to perform it on you Ashley to try to bring back those memories that you might be repressing," said Dr. Sullivan.

"Hypnotism? Is that what you used on Emily when she couldn't remember what happened to her that night she blacked out?" asked Hanna.

"Yes it is. Ashley, do I have your permission to do it?"

Ashley looked over at Hanna then back to Dr. Sullivan. She nodded her head in approval.

"Alright then. Let's get started."

Within a half an hour, Ashley was starting to remember what she had long ago repressed.

"Hanna, I know who 'A' is," was the first thing Ashley said when the hypnotism was done.


	5. All In The Family

"What do you mean you know who 'A' is?" asked a dumbfounded Hanna.

"Hanna, you do have a sister. A twin sister, actually."

"What?! How did I not know that I have a twin sister? And more importantly how did you not remember until now? What happened to her?"

"It's a long story, Hanna."

"I'm all ears."

"Okay, but let me just start off by saying that Ted and I actually dated before… a long time ago… before you were even born."

"What does Ted have to do with anything?"

"Hanna… he's your father."

"Huh? I'm so confused."

"I told you it was a long story. And I'm just getting started. Anyway, yes Ted is your biological father. We broke up right before I found out that I was pregnant with you (and your sister). I found out that I was carrying his child(ren) while I was dating Tom. Of course, he thought I cheated on him which is why I guess he thought it was okay to have an affair with Isabel. When I told him that I got pregnant before I even started going out with him, he believed me but he still held a grudge. That's probably why he was never a good father to you, Hanna. Because he knew you weren't his."

"Wow. Does Ted even know that I'm his daughter?" asked an incredulous Hanna.

"As far as I know, no… he doesn't," answered Ashley.

"Well, Ted treats me better than 'Dad' ever did. That's for sure. Can't say I'm sorry that Tom isn't my real father. But what happened to my twin sister? It's not Ali, is it?"

"No. Ali is not your twin sister… but she is your cousin."

"How is that even possible?"

"Jessica DiLaurentis and I are sisters. And Carla Grunwald is our mother."

"What the hell?! Is this for real, mom? You have to be kidding. There's no way all of this can be true. It's ridiculous. You're just messing with me right?"

"I'm not messing with you, Hanna. I'm telling the truth. Alison really is my niece and Jessica really is my sister. That's why I was so protective of Ali and why Jessica gave me a job."

"Okay… but why didn't you tell me that Mrs. DiLaurentis is actually my aunt and Ali is actually my cousin?"

"I don't know. Jessica and I were never really close. I mean we were friendly but not friends. If you get what I mean."

"Does Ali know that she and I are cousins?" asked Hanna.

"I wouldn't be surprised, Hanna. I think deep down she knows and that's why she chose you to be her friend."

"I guess that makes sense. Mrs. Grunwald being mine (and Ali's) grandma actually makes sense too. That would explain my (our) weird connection to her. But you still haven't told me about what happened to my twin. What's her name? Is she even alive? I need to know Mom. You can't just leave me hanging like that."

"Your sister is alive and her name is Charlotte. There was an incident between you and her when you were about seven years old. After getting into a fight over a doll, Charlotte got mad and stabbed you in the back with a knife. When Tom and I found you in a pool of blood on the floor and Charlotte holding the knife, we immediately took you to the hospital and her to Radley. She's been in here ever since… I guess until now."

"Wait a second, Ali told me a story just like that on Halloween, back in 2008. That must mean something. She must know about Charlotte. Did Jessica DiLaurentis know about her and why don't I remember any of this?"

"I don't know what Alison knows but I do know Jessica doesn't know about Charlotte. And it's like Dr. Sullivan said Hanna, it was a traumatic experience so I guess we all repressed the memory of it."

"And what do you mean 'until now'?"

"I think Charlotte escaped Radley and she's 'A', Hanna."


	6. Cece

"How could she escape from here, though?" asked Hanna. If she was being honest with herself, there were times when she tried to think of ways she could escape from Radley. She was curious to know how her sister did it.

 _Wherever Charlotte is now, she must be getting a kick out of how the tables have turned. She's spent most of her life at Radley but now she's the one with complete freedom and I'm the one trapped in this place like a prisoner._

"I honestly don't know Hanna. She was always very smart… too smart for her own good… not like you aren't or anything. But… anyway, if she did escape somehow, I'm sure there would've been a news story about it, which is peculiar," answered Ashley. "Dr. Sullivan, you've been here quite some time, did you ever meet Charlotte?"

"Ashley, I can tell you for a fact that we've never had a patient named Charlotte while I've been here."

"What are you talking about? She's been here for ten years. Surely you've heard of her?" asked a dumbfounded Ashley.

Dr. Sullivan shook her head. "I can check the files for you, if you'd like? Charlotte Marin, right?" she asked as she stood up from her chair.

Ashley nodded. "I'll be back, Ashley. Continue on without me," Dr. Sullivan said as she exited her office.

"Mom, you said you thought Charlotte could be 'A'. If that's the case, then she is capable of literally anything. She might've changed her name or something and released herself from Radley by hacking into the network. It's something Mona (as 'A') would do."

"Hanna, she was seven years old when we brought her in. The staff (at the time) knew what her name was. It's got to be in the files," said Ashley, uncertainly.

"What if Charlotte did change her name though? I mean theoretically, Dr. Sullivan should be able to find her file by using my birthday, seeing as we're twins."

"True. But like you said, if she's 'A', she can do anything. If she changed her name on all her files, then who knows what else she might've changed. She probably changed her birthday too."

"Why would she change her birthday?"

"I don't know, Hanna. I was being facetious."

Hanna gave her a puzzled look, clearly not knowing what the word 'facetious' meant.

"Never mind."

Dr. Sullivan re-entered the room and took her seat across from Ashley.

Ashley turned to face her. "Well?"

"No one named Charlotte Marin. But I did find a file of a girl whose birthday was listed as March 7th, 1994. There was no picture or any further information but what are the odds of there being another patient at Radley with the same birthday as Hanna? It has to be Charlotte," answered Dr. Sullivan.

"Why is her birthday the only information you have on her? What happened to the rest of her file?" asked Hanna.

"I honestly don't know, Hanna. But I have a feeling that Charlotte might have had something to do with it…"

"Wait, did that file list the name that Charlotte might have changed hers to?" asked Ashley.

Dr. Sullivan smiled. "As a matter of fact, it did have a name. It was Cece Drake. Do you know anyone by that name, Hanna?"

Before Hanna could answer the question, everything went black.


	7. Three Sides To Every Story

"Hanna… Hanna honey, are you okay?" asked Ashley as her daughter slowly came to.

"Wha…what happened?" Hanna asked as she blinked her eyes in confusion.

"You fainted, sweetie," Ashely answered softly.

"Why?" Hanna asked as she started to sit up.

"I asked if you knew someone named Cece Drake and judging by your body's reaction, I guess the answer to that question is 'yes'," answered Dr. Sullivan.

"It's true; I do know someone named Cece Drake. I met her not even a year ago. She was/is one of Ali's old friends. But she can't be my twin sister; she's older than me," Hanna replied.

"Hanna, she could've lied about her age," Ashley said flatly.

"I know that but she said me and my friends were the reason why she got kicked out of UPenn. She is (supposedly) at least six years older than me. Plus why would UPenn accept an ex/escaped mental patient? It just doesn't make any sense."

"Again Hanna, she could've lied about all of that too," said Dr. Sullivan.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Hanna said dispiritedly. Hanna didn't know what would be worse: 'A' being someone she knew or 'A' being a total stranger. But in her case, 'A' was someone she thought she knew. "So Cece's 'A'," she stated. "If she spent most of her life in Radley, then she probably hates me (more than she already does) for getting to live a normal life and for everyone forgetting she even exists. I don't blame her to be honest but yet again; she was the one who stabbed me over a doll so there's that."

Ashley cringed when Hanna mentioned Charlotte/Cece stabbing her.

Hanna noticed her reaction. "Why did she try to kill me Mom? Did you ever ask her?"

"She said you were always telling lies and getting her into trouble. You guys were…are… sisters, but you fought all the time, over everything…even your dolls. I think Charlotte just liked to fight," Ashley answered honestly. "You said she was an old friend of Alison's? I guess maybe Alison did know about Charlotte. Or maybe she didn't know about her and Charlotte befriended Alison to get close to you," she said trying to change the subject.

"But the thing I don't understand is why would Cece go after my friends? Her going after you with the pinning of Detective Wilden's murder makes sense. And her going after me and Ali also makes sense. But unless that UPenn story is true somehow, I don't know what my friends did to deserve all this torture and abuse. Are they just collateral damage or is there more to the story?" asked Hanna.

"There are three sides to every story," interjected Dr. Sullivan.

"Does that mean you're going to force her to have a session with me?" asked Hanna while rolling her eyes.

"Yes, Hanna; I am. We know your side of the story and if Cece/Charlotte comes here, we're going to learn her side of the story. But most importantly, we're going to learn the truth," answered Dr. Sullivan.

"What if she refuses to come?"

"Then we'll know why she didn't come."

"And then what happens if she does show up? How do we even prove that she's really Charlotte?"

"We give her a DNA test," interjected Ashley. "If her DNA is a match to yours Hanna, then we'll know for a fact that she is your sister and we can just assume that she's 'A', if she decides to lie about everything. You don't think anyone else could be 'A', do you honey?"

"No. I don't. She's freaking 'A'," answered Hanna, boldly.


	8. This Should Be Interesting

"How are you even going to get Cece… err …Charlotte to come here? You don't even have her number," asked Hanna.

"If she is indeed Alison's friend, than Alison probably has her number. And you have Alison's number, right Hanna?" asked Dr. Sullivan.

Hanna nodded. "Then it's settled. We'll call Alison and ask her for Cece's number. Then we'll call Cece and ask her to come down here. Simple as that."

"Alison's probably going to question why you're asking her for Cece's number. And Cece's definitely going to question why she's being asked to come here when she and I aren't even really friends."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," replied Dr. Sullivan. "Now, what's Alison's number, Hanna?" she asked as she walked over to the phone on her desk.

Hanna gave her the number as Dr. Sullivan punched in the digits. Hanna and her mom just sat in silence as Dr. Sullivan talked to Ali. After a minute, the doctor hung up the phone and turned to face the mother and daughter.

Hanna was the first to speak. "Well, what did Ali say? Did she ask why you wanted Cece's number?"

"No. Surprisingly she didn't. She was more concerned with how you were doing, Hanna and when you were coming home," Dr. Sullivan answered with a smile.

Hanna smiled back. "Are you going to call Cece now?" she asked, changing the subject.

Dr. Sullivan nodded. She then turned back to her desk, picked up the sticky note where she wrote down Cece's number and began calling her.

"Hi, Cece Drake?"

" **Yes. This is she."**

"I'm Dr. Sullivan. I'm Hanna Marin's therapist. I believe you know each other through Alison DiLaurentis?

" **Yeah I know Hanna. I heard what happened to her. Is she okay?"**

"She's doing okay. Thank you for asking. As part of Hanna's therapy, I would like her to spend some one-on-one time with as many people in her life as possible before I send her home. With this therapy, it'll make socializing for Hanna easier when she returns to Rosewood. So the reason I'm calling you is to ask if you wouldn't mind coming down to Radley and having a session with her and I."

There was a pause before Cece responded.

" **Okay. I'll come down. When's a good time?"**

"Today would be, if you can. If not, that's fine. We can schedule for another day and time. Whatever works for you."

" **Today works for me. I can be there in like 20 minutes. Is that okay or does she have another session at that time?"**

"No. That's perfectly fine. Thank you, Cece for taking time out of your day to come visit Hanna. It's grately appreciated by both her and I. So we'll see you in 20 minutes then?"

" **Yes."**

"Okay. Thank you again and we'll see you soon. Bye."

" **Bye."**

Dr. Sullivan hung up the phone and sat back down in her chair.

"So she's actually coming?" asked a worried Ashley.

"Yes. She is. In about 20 minutes," answered Dr. Sullivan.

"Well, this should be interesting," said Hanna.


	9. Charlotte

"She agreed to come down here. That must either mean she's not who we think she is OR she is who we think she is but she's only coming here so she doesn't look (even more) suspicious," said Hanna. "She probably has some ulterior motive for coming. Because she's 'A', she probably already knows that you're here, Mom and has something up her sleeve planned," she rambled on.

"Hanna honey, calm down. She can't do anything while she's here. When she signs in at the visitor's desk, security is going to pat her down to make sure she doesn't have any sort of weapon. If she asks why she's getting a pat down, we'll say it's because we want to make sure there's nothing in her possession that might trigger you," explained Dr. Sullivan.

"Okay, but I'm sure she's NOT going to freak out when you ask her to take a DNA test," Hanna said sarcastically.

"We can do a DNA test on her without her even knowing."

"How?" asked Hanna.

"With a strand of her hair, saliva, a fingernail, etc." answered Dr. Sullivan.

"That doesn't sound like it will be easy," said Ashley.

"Nobody said it would be easy," replied Dr. Sullivan.

Before anyone knew it, 20 minutes had passed and the three women were anxiously waiting for their next visitor. Dr. Sullivan stood up from her chair and headed towards her door. "I'm going to meet Cece at the visitor's desk and walk her down here."

Hanna and Ashley nodded absentmindedly. About two (long) minutes later, Dr. Sullivan returned with Cece in tow. When Cece entered the therapist's office, her eyes immediately widened when they landed on Ashley.

"I thought you said this session would be between just you, me, and Hanna," Cece said nervously, as she made her way to the chair next to Dr. Sullivan's.

"Why? Is something wrong?" Dr. Sullivan asked coolly.

"No. Nothing's wrong. I just…" she was at a loss for words.

"You just didn't think that your mom would be here too, Charlotte?" interjected Ashley.

"What? I… uh… don't know what you're talking about," Cece said unconvincingly.

"Stop playing dumb Cece, we know who you really are and we know you're 'A'," Hanna retorted.

"Fine. Cece Drake is an alias and I'm not actually 23. My real name is Charlotte Marin and I'm 17 years old. Happy?" Charlotte said, sounding annoyed.

"Yes. That means we don't have to do a DNA test," answered Dr. Sullivan.

"Why did you really ask me to come here? And how did you figure out that I was/am 'A'?" asked Charlotte.

"For the reason I told you on the phone and because we want to hear your side of the story. This isn't just a therapy session for Hanna; this is a therapy session for you too. It's for you to vent your thoughts and frustrations in a non-threatening way. Hanna saw the message you left on her desk and put the pieces together."

"So are you going to have me arrested then?" she asked with no emotion.

"I don't know. We'll hear what you have to say and I'll decide what to do with you then," replied Dr. Sullivan. "But for now, why don't we go back to the beginning? Tell your mom and your sister why you did what you did on that infamous day."

"I was just mad at Hanna because she took my doll," Charlotte answered nonchalantly.

"You tried to kill me just because I took your doll?" asked Hanna, in disbelief.

"Yeah. What's your point?"

"Charlotte, we didn't send you to Radley because of that incident. We sent you here because of the multiple instances where you tried hurting Hanna over the smallest of things. We had to keep her safe. And if keeping her safe meant sending you here, then that's what had to be done," Ashley said softly.

"I couldn't help being aggressive. The doctors here told me I had Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED)," replied Charlotte.

 _IED? That's what Wren said Big Rhonda has._

"It was an accurate diagnosis… I guess. For the next couple of years, they doped me up on tranquilizers until I almost drowned in my own drool. But nobody ever understood how much I loved you Hanna. And from the moment when you were born, I never left your side. Even though we're the same age, you were my living doll and when my doll was sad, it made me sad. I never meant to hurt you Hanna. I couldn't control the impulses. But that's all mom and dad needed to get rid of me. Nobody ever visited me here. I was completely alone and forgotten about. I can understand 'Dad' not visiting me seeing as he wasn't even my real father, but you, Mom? You've always preferred Hanna over me," she said sadly. She continued before Ashley could say anything.

"Before I became 'A', the craziest girl showed up at Radley: Mona. She was awesome and she thought I was Ali. Mona told me that she did everything I asked her to and I said I was proud of her. I then told her that she was getting better, she just needed to keep taking her meds and Mona said 'I will, Ali. I promise'. I told Mona that I needed to know everything about you and the girls. That was the only thing I looked forward to, after Mona got weaned off her medication, was hearing about what Mona did to you and your friends. But I could never trust Mona. She was your legit friend, Hanna and she ran you over with a car. Where's the loyalty in that? Anyway, Mona wasn't ready to end the game, so I made a deal with her: if she helped me to get out of Radley, I would play the game with her because I needed her help to stay gone."

"Why would you keep playing the game if you really cared about me? Why did you go after my friends and what did they even do to deserve all that torture?" asked Hanna.

"When your friends thought they killed 'A' in New York, it was the perfect time to end it. I left the country thinking it was over, but the game is like a drug and I was really good at playing it. It felt good to succeed at something," Charlotte paused. "I'm not a bad person," she said sincerely.

"You almost froze Spencer and Aria to death!" exclaimed Hanna.

"Almost", said Charlotte.

"And you drove a car through Emily's house!"

"Yeah, and I almost cut her in half too. But is she hurt? No. Is her mommy hurt? No. I only got mad when you didn't listen".

"You can't play with people like they're your toys," said Hanna, more calmly.

"Yes I can. I know you won't believe me, but I love all of my dolls; that's why you're still alive."

 _She didn't have anything to do with my suicide, right? I mean other than the obvious. She didn't save my life just so she could continue torturing me, did she? Caleb never actually said he was the one to find me in the tub and Cece/Charlotte did leave that message saying: "where's the fun in playing cat and mouse if the mouse is dead?" No. I don't believe that. Caleb was the one to save me. Not her._

"Why? Why did you do all of this?" asked Hanna.

"I was mad that I was sent away to (and forgotten about at) Radley and jealous because you got to live a normal life. But at the same time, I hated Ali for bullying you and the other girls for not doing anything about it. That's why," answered Charlotte, with venom.

"Charlotte, I'm sorry that I made you feel that way. I didn't mean to forget about you but after that horrific day, I guess all of us just repressed the memory of it all. And I don't prefer Hanna to you. I know it doesn't seem like it, but I love you both equally," said Ashley, emotionally. "I don't want you to get arrested; I want you to come live with us and be the family that we're supposed to be. Enough of all this 'A' business."

"I'm sorry too, Charlotte," said Hanna.

"Game over", Charlotte said after hearing her sister call her "Charlotte", finally accepting her.


	10. Second Chances

"Hanna, are you ready to go home now?" asked Dr. Sullivan.

"Yes! Finally!" Hanna exclaimed as she jumped off of her place on the loveseat.

Dr. Sullivan and Ashley both chuckled.

"But before you go anywhere, there's something else I need to say," interjected Charlotte.

Hanna inwardly groaned and sat back down on the loveseat. She just wanted to go home already.

"I know this probably won't do any good, but I'm sorry… for everything. "Mom, I'm sorry I pinned Detective Wilden's murder on you. To be honest, I killed him because (1) he was a crooked cop, and (2) because of the way he treated you and Hanna. And most importantly, I'd like to apologize for all the pain and suffering I've caused you and your friends, Hanna. I didn't mean to take it as far as I did. Like I said earlier, the game was like a drug and I was addicted to it. I had no one to turn to for help so I kept playing. You and Mom have both apologized to me and I don't know why. You don't even have anything to apologize for and if you did, I don't deserve your forgiveness. I know simply saying 'I'm sorry' won't make up for all the horrible things I did, but I need to know what I can do in order for you to forgive me," Charlotte said sincerely.

"Look Charlotte, Mona was my best friend and she tortured me as 'A' too… and I (eventually) forgave her. When she came here for our session and (really) explained her motive for being 'A', I understood where she was coming from; she just wanted friends. Sure, she could have just told me what she was feeling instead of threatening me and running me over with a car but… hey… Mona being 'A' actually brought me, Emily, Spencer and Aria closer together so there was some good that came with all of that. So what I'm trying to say is, there's some good that came with you being 'A' too," said Hanna.

"Like what?" asked Charlotte with eyebrows furrowed.

"I mean, I would've lived my whole life never knowing the truth about my family. Like you being my twin sister, Ted being our father, my dad not actually being my dad, Grunwald being our grandma, Mrs. DiLaurentis being our aunt and Ali being our cousin," answered Hanna.

"So what are you saying?" Charlotte asked with hopefulness.

"I'm saying that I've heard your story and I understand," Hanna paused. "I forgive you, Charlotte."

"Really?" Charlotte asked emotionally.

Hanna smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, Hanna! I don't know what I did to deserve a sister as great as you," Charlotte said as she got up to give Hanna a hug. Charlotte then walked over and stood in front of Ashley. "Mom, do you forgive me?" she asked shyly.

Ashley looked up at Charlotte, glanced at Hanna and then returned her attention back to Charlotte. "If Hanna has decided to give you a second chance after all the things you've done to her, then I guess I will too. I forgive you, Charlotte," she said as she got up to give Charlotte a hug. "But if you ever try to hurt Hanna again or if she ever gets another message from 'A', I'm sending you back here. Do you understand me, Charlotte?" Ashley said seriously.

"Yes. I understand mom. I don't want to spend another day in this place… or go to jail. I'll do whatever it takes to earn your trust. I'll take my medication and I'll go to therapy. Anything that will keep me in your good graces," answered Charlotte.

Ashley smiled and stood up. Hanna followed suit. "Good. Let's go home, shall we?" asked Ashley to both her daughters.

Both girls nodded feverishly.

No one really said anything on the ride back home. Ashley decided to break that silence: "Girls, Ted asked me to marry him!" she said happily from the driver's seat.

"Mom that's great!" "Please tell me you said 'yes'?" Charlotte and Hanna said at the same time.

Ashley laughed. "Of course I said 'yes'."

"Great. Now we can be a real family," Charlotte said with a smile.

"Oh! Mom! While we're on the subject of marriage, Caleb proposed to me!" Hanna said happily.

"What?! When did this happen?" Ashley asked in objection.

"When he came for our session. You don't approve, do you?" asked a now saddened Hanna.

"Honey, you know Caleb is like a son to me. He's not the issue. The issue is you're too young to get married. You're only 17."

"Just because we're engaged doesn't mean we're planning the wedding right this second. Some people are engaged for like two years before they actually get married. And for some people, the engagement is longer than the marriage itself. I love Caleb and he loves me. Our love isn't any different than your love for Ted… err… Dad. Age shouldn't matter when it comes to love. I don't see what the big deal is."

"You're right, Hanna. I'm sorry. I'm happy that you've found a man who loves you and wants to protect you and I can't wait for him to be part of the family."

Hanna's smile returned. "Thanks, Mom!" Hanna was sitting in the passenger seat while Charlotte was sitting behind Ashley. Hanna turned back to face her. "Charlotte, when Caleb and I eventually get married, would like to be my maid of honor?"

Charlotte didn't know what to say. "You really want me to?" she asked, all choked up.

"Of course I do," Hanna said with no hesitation.

Before they knew it, the three Marin girls arrived home. Hanna hadn't been there in almost three weeks whereas Charlotte hadn't been there in almost ten years. Hanna and Ashley had already walked to the front door but Charlotte was still in the driveway, staring at the house; thinking of all the (good and the bad) memories she had whilst living there.

"C'mon, Charlotte!" said Hanna. "I want us to walk in at the same time."

Charlotte smiled. Her sister was so adorable. How'd did she ever want to hurt her? At the sound of Hanna's voice, Charlotte ran to catch up with her and their mom.

Ashley unlocked the door and the girls stepped inside. Nobody could see a thing.

"Surprise!" The lights came on and Hanna saw Spencer, Emily, Aria, Ali, Toby, Ezra, Caleb and Ted standing in the foyer. Everyone except Ted had a puzzled look on their faces when they saw Charlotte enter.

A bunch of "Welcome home, Hanna's" rang through the air and Caleb immediately ran over to hug Hanna. He held her so tightly, she was afraid he would never let go. "Don't ever leave me again," he said sternly into the crook of her neck. "Never" was Hanna's reply.

"Can I squeeze in a hug with her, Caleb?" asked Ted. Caleb was confused but he didn't let it show. He removed himself from Hanna's embrace to let Ted in.

When everyone was out of earshot, Ted decided now would be a good time to tell Hanna. "Hanna?" he asked.

Hanna looked up at him. "Yeah?"

"I know."

"Know what?"

"That you're my daughter. Charlotte too. I'm sorry I couldn't have been there for you when you were growing up."

"Don't you dare apologize for that. It wasn't your fault. And besides, for the short time that I've known you, you treated more as a daughter than Tom ever has. I'm happy you're my dad."

Ted smiled. "Well, I'm happy you're my daughter." Hanna reciprocated his smile. From the corner of her eye, she could see Charlotte watching them with a sad look on her face. Hanna knew what she had to do. "Ted… err… Dad, I think Charlotte needs you more than I do right now," she said as she cocked her head in Charlotte's direction. Ted nodded and made his way over to his other daughter.

Since Hanna got home, she never once got a second to herself. Everyone was treating her like she was made of glass. She guessed she couldn't blame them though. This time, it was Spencer, Emily, Aria and Ali who approached her.

"Guys, can we go outside onto the patio? There's something I need to tell you," said Hanna.

The girls gave her a concerned look but didn't say anything. They did as Hanna asked and went outside onto the patio.

"What's wrong, Hanna?" asked Spencer.

"Ask me what's right if you want a shorter answer," was Hanna's reply.

Spencer gave her a quizzical look.

Hanna told the girls everything that she learned in the past two days. She told them about Cece Drake actually being her twin sister whose real name was Charlotte, Ted being their biological father; him proposing to her mom, her mom being sisters with Ali's mom; Mrs. Grunwald being their mother, Caleb proposing and Charlotte being 'A'.

"Jesus, Han. That sounds like a bad soap opera," said Spencer.

"Tell me about it," said Hanna.

"My mom and your mom are sisters? And Grunwald is our grandmother?" asked Ali. Hanna nodded. "That means we're cousins, Han," Ali said with a smile.

"So you didn't already know?" asked Hanna.

"No. Why would you think I already knew?"

"No reason," Hanna said, trying not to push the subject further.

"Congrats on your engagement, Han!" said Emily.

"Thanks, Em," Hanna said with a smile.

"Wait… Cece... Charlotte's 'A' and you let her into your house?!" asked Aria in a panic.

Hanna nodded like it was no big deal.

"I know she's your sister Hanna, but she tortured us. She should be in Radley or jail," added Aria.

"I know what she did Aria and I forgive her," replied Hanna.

"You what?!" asked Spencer, in disbelief.

"I forgive her," Hanna repeated.

"Why?" asked Emily.

"Because I listened to her story. I understand why she did what she did. She apologized and wants to make things right. Plus she's my sister… my twin sister. I know you guys won't understand. You don't have to forgive her just because I did. I know if you do eventually decide to forgive her, it's not going to be for a long while," answered Hanna.

"Do you trust her?" asked Ali.

Hanna had to think for a second. "No. Not yet," she answered honestly. "She's going to have to earn my trust. I think everyone deserves a second chance, including Charlotte. My mom told Charlotte if she blows it, she's either going back to Radley or going to jail."

"Well, I don't speak for all of us but if you're willing to give Charlotte a second chance, I am too," said Emily. "But that doesn't mean I forgive her. She's going to have to earn that too."

Spencer, Aria and Ali nodded in agreement.

"So that's it then? No more 'A'?" asked Spencer.

"No more 'A'," answered Hanna. "God that felt great to say."

Everyone chuckled because they knew it was true. 'A' was gone for good and their friend was alive. What more could they ask for in life?


End file.
